Congress-TMC merger on the cards? Mamata’s party breaks silence

New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday firmly rejected speculation about a possible merger with the Congress, describing such reports as unfounded even as interactions between senior leaders of both parties fuelled political chatter in New Delhi.

A senior TMC leader dismissed the reports outright, saying, "We have no such information. This is baseless."

The rumours gained momentum following a meeting between TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday. The meeting came shortly after opposition leaders gathered for an INDIA bloc meeting, where a photograph of the two leaders embracing attracted widespread attention.

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Sonia-Mamata meeting sparks buzz

While neither party disclosed details of the discussions, sources indicated that Banerjee reiterated the importance of opposition unity and stressed that INDIA bloc partners should work together to challenge the BJP on issues affecting the public.

Responding to media reports surrounding the meeting, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said some accounts of the interaction were inaccurate.

"The meeting was very cordial and many personal matters were talked about, given the long relationship they have had," Ramesh said in a post on X.

He also stated that reports suggesting otherwise were "completely inaccurate".

Rahul-Abhishek talks

The political developments continued on Wednesday when TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. Sources described the meeting as part of ongoing engagement between the Congress and the TMC following discussions at the INDIA bloc gathering earlier this week.

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The meetings come at a challenging time for the TMC, which is grappling with internal dissent after its defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections.

Mamata Banerjee, who founded the TMC in 1998 after breaking away from the Congress, has repeatedly advocated greater opposition unity against the BJP. At the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday, she reportedly urged alliance partners to put aside differences and coordinate more closely on public issues.

The party's troubles have intensified in recent weeks. Following the election setback, a large group of TMC legislators broke away from the official legislature party and secured recognition as the principal opposition bloc in the West Bengal Assembly. The crisis has also extended to Parliament, where a section of rebel MPs has claimed support for a possible split within the party.